New research shows meditation can cut the risk of death in half for people with heart problems.

Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, USA have found that people with coronary disease who began practicing Transcendental Meditation were 48 percent less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from all causes. This compared to a group of study participants who merely attended a health education class over more than five years.

In addition, researchers found that those practicing meditation were able to lower their blood pressure, in addition to reporting less overall stress and anger. The study also found that the more regularly patients meditated, the greater their rates of survival.